Garlic Butter Chicken Thighs with Rice

Boneless, skinless chicken thighs are seasoned, seared, then finished in a garlic butter pan sauce and served over rice with steamed broccoli and carrots. The rice cooks while the chicken sears, and the vegetables steam at the end so the full dinner fits the weeknight time limit.

By Julienne

Cook time: 22 minutes

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 240 g Long-grain white rice rinsed
• 480 ml Water
• 250 g Broccoli florets
• 150 g Carrot peeled and sliced 5 mm thick
• 1 g Kosher salt divided
• 0.5 g Black pepper divided
• 680 g Chicken thighs, boneless and skinless patted dry
• 4 g Kosher salt divided
• 1 g Black pepper divided
• 1 g Dried thyme
• 2 g Paprika
• 15 ml Neutral oil
• 15 g Unsalted butter divided
• 4 clove Garlic cloves minced
• 120 ml Chicken stock
• 15 g Unsalted butter divided
• 15 ml Lemon juice
• 8 g Fresh parsley chopped
• 2 g Kosher salt divided
• 0.5 g Black pepper divided

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice until the water runs mostly clear. Add the rice and water to the saucepan, bring to a boil, then cover, reduce to low, and cook until the water is absorbed and the grains are tender, 15 to 18 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand covered for 5 minutes. Rice is tender and fluffy; no visible water remains on the surface.
2. While the rice cooks, bring a small pot of water to a boil or set up a steamer for the broccoli and carrots. Steam the vegetables until crisp-tender, 4 to 6 minutes, then season lightly with 1 g of the salt and 0.5 g of the black pepper. Vegetables are bright green or just tender when pierced with a knife tip.
3. Season the chicken thighs with 4 g of the salt, 1 g of the black pepper, the thyme, and the paprika. Heat the skillet over medium-high heat, add the oil and 15 g of the butter, then sear the chicken until browned, 4 to 5 minutes per side. Chicken is well browned on both sides and releases easily from the pan.
4. Reduce the heat to medium, add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the stock and the remaining 15 g of butter, scraping up the browned bits, then simmer until the chicken reaches 74°C in the thickest part and the sauce lightly coats a spoon, 3 to 5 minutes. Chicken registers 74°C and the sauce looks glossy and lightly thickened.
5. If using, stir the lemon juice into the pan sauce. Serve the chicken over the rice with the steamed vegetables, spooning the garlic butter sauce over the top. Garnish with parsley if using. Plates are assembled with rice, vegetables, chicken, and pan sauce; parsley is evenly scattered if used.